Some points that I might ask about. What type fish are you breeding? Smaller or large? Several kinds or only one? Reason for the questions is that I would want more small tanks like ten gallon. This lets me seperate the type and size better. Your plans may be different. Since I see the water reserve, I'm quessing you will have water and drains as well?

Smaller or large? Several kinds or only one? Reason for the questions is that I would want more small tanks like ten gallon. This lets me seperate the type and size better. Your plans may be different. Since I see the water reserve, I'm quessing you will have water and drains as well?

Yeah... This is being built in a detached garage.. I live in SC, so most of the year, I will be able to do water changes straight from the hose. There isn't any heated water in the garage, so in the winter - I will have to heat it. There will be multiple reservoirs in the attic space. I just need enough water to be heated in a weeks time to do the necessary water changes in the winter.

Yeah.. All of the tanks shown on this layout will be on centralized sumps. I have room for a rack of 10/20's under the A/C unit.. All of them will be running on sponge filters & air.

I'm not familiar with the Charleston area, do people successfully keep fish rooms in their garages? Is the garage air conditioned, summer temps don't get too high? What type of winter temps do you get in Charleston? Just asking, hate to see you build this and have temp problems 1/2 the year.

londonloco wrote:I'm not familiar with the Charleston area, do people successfully keep fish rooms in their garages? Is the garage air conditioned, summer temps don't get too high? What type of winter temps do you get in Charleston? Just asking, hate to see you build this and have temp problems 1/2 the year.

There's an AC unit in the drawing.

I like the sump setup change. I think that can work without too much hassle. Bio chambers are within reach of all racks. You removed the ones on the 'door' wall? For that matter, you could now just do the one sump with the two biochambers, I believe. Then going with one pump or two would be optional. I'd be tempted to try to design it with one first. If going with two, I might stick with separate sumps.

Missed that... A friend of mine built on to their house, instead of extending their central HVAC, she bought one unit that heated and cooled a huge bedroom, large bathroom and large closet. Might check into one of those units, tho I don't know how they cost.

I like the sump setup change. I think that can work without too much hassle. Bio chambers are within reach of all racks. You removed the ones on the 'door' wall? For that matter, you could now just do the one sump with the two biochambers, I believe. Then going with one pump or two would be optional. I'd be tempted to try to design it with one first. If going with two, I might stick with separate sumps.

I have a gazillion ideas in my head on how to do it... The 40's will only be filled to 12" so I am thinking that I will be filtering @ the most 200-250 gallons. I would like the reservoir to not have to exceed 1/2 the total tank volume.

As for the sumps.. One large with bio-chambers one each end would probably be easier to build.

I am thinking the sump will need to be able to hold 100 gallons so whatever footprint meets that will probably work. Total height cannot exceed 2' though - including the elevated bio-chambers.

The racks on the door walls will be 10/20's on sponge filters. Too much of a pain to route the plumbing to the sumps. I didn't show them in the drawing because I havent decided how I am doing that yet.

Missed that... A friend of mine built on to their house, instead of extending their central HVAC, she bought one unit that heated and cooled a huge bedroom, large bathroom and large closet. Might check into one of those units, tho I don't know how they cost.

The room is only 60 square feet & the winters here are short & mild.. With the amount of insulation I am packing in - I am hoping that the room will be very energy efficient.

The racks on the door walls will be 10/20's on sponge filters. Too much of a pain to route the plumbing to the sumps. I didn't show them in the drawing because I havent decided how I am doing that yet.